The little cow-dung “Om away from Om” in the jungle was a delight. The small fire pit just outside the hut was a pleasure to sit at and listen to the sounds of the jungle. We saw a big black bird covered in white polka dots, apparently, an Asian Paradise Flycatcher, as it flew onto a branch nearby. A few essential food items were purchased and hung from the rafter. We just needed to be sure to include peanut brittle for the rat in our shopping list. One time, the offering was forgotten. The rat quickly reminded us by eating our bananas. Live and learn!
Jungle Life
The occasional visits from the landlady were a nice break in our day. The thin, dark little woman would meander over, raising her thumb and finger to her lips, mimicking smoking. Donna would smile and dig out a couple of beedies from her bag for each of them. With the strike of a “Homelite” match, they were soon puffing and chattering away. A lovely time for all. I was amazed that though neither understood the other’s language, you would never know it. They sat around the little fire, talking and laughing together like old friends.
The community well was a large hole in the ground with a counterweighted lever and a bucket on a rope, also known as a “shadoof.” Sometimes one had to wait in line to dip out the needed water for bathing or cooking. We, of course, used bottled water for drinking and cooking.
For defecation, i.e., toilet needs, there was the path that is the tail of the Om where “the cows that ate everything” lived. Privacy for your chore was stepping carefully off the path behind some scrubby shrubs. Several cows were always excitedly waiting to feast upon your excrement. They ate plastic bags, paper, and… any and everything.
Changes
The quiet time away from the chai shop was a welcome change from the previous weeks. However, we still regularly visited to play carrom and smoke a chillum. We also slowed down on swimming. Not being right there all the time, we usually escaped to our cool jungle home during the day’s intense heat.
A young man from Nepal was hanging out at the chai shop and playing carrom. We talked about many things, including travel and this being our first time in India. One day he said to me, “There is one thing you must never, ever, do.” My mind raced to figure out what this forbidden act must be. “You must never give money to a beggar! If you do, it will leave a mark here,” he touched his forehead, “as sure as a tattoo that all beggars will be able to see. You will never have peace from them!” Good advice!
We learned there was a road that brought supplies to the beach and considered that could be a way back to Gokarna. But the hot sunny road was much longer than the trek across the hill. We opted just to stay put.
Time continued to tick away, and we suddenly realized we were finally rested. Five weeks was plenty long enough. We felt it was time to leave Om Beach. Our trusty Lonely Planet guide assisted us in planning our next move. Hampi, home of Hanuman, the monkey king and loyal friend and servant to Vishnu, would be our next stop.
More Changes
After packing our bags and saying fond farewells to our beedie-smoking landlord, we walked up the beach toward the brush and rocky hillside. In one of the last chai shops before leaving the beach, we saw a man standing on a table. Curious, we stopped for a second to see what he was doing. “Okay,” he called out to someone behind the chai shop, and suddenly, the first lightbulb on Om Beach lit up. Donna and I looked at each other.
“Well, that’s the end of that and the beginning of something else,” she said. I nodded, realizing the Om Beach we knew would be a memory some travelers would not experience again. We climbed through the brush and up the rocky incline, leaving Om Beach behind. Well rested, this time, there was no Runar to tell us we were tired and to go back. We found the bus to Hampi and prepared for the next leg of our adventure.
Next: Hampi, Land of Hanuman